Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1887-07-22
Work on the Panama Canal
Likely to Stop.
From Scientific Americana

From Scientific American.
Recent reports from Panama indi-
cate that the work will shortly cease
on the line of the proposed canal, and
unless the difficulties in the way have
been greatly exaggerated, further
loan asked of the deluded investors,
for the most part poor people, would
be cruel wrong, because only sery-
ing to postpone impending disaster
and raise hopes that cannot be realiz-
ed All the work done for a twelve
month, and even longer, has consist
ed of the dredging of soft material by
contractors paid by the cubic yard;
men not in anywise identified with
the project, and having no interest in
either its success or failure. Mean
time the projectors have been consid-
ering the really formidable problems
on the solution of which depends tie
final accomplishment of the work
Foremost of these is the control of
the torrents that at various periods
pour down the sides of the noun
tains, and which, if unchecked, make
all hope Of maintaining canal vain,
and still another is the obstacle inter-
posed by a mountain which has been
found to be moving slowly into the
very path of the canal. Add to these
the deadliness of the climate and the
important difference between tie
mean level of the two oceans which
the canal is designed to connect, and
it is not surprising that the engineers
in charge of the enterprise, skilled en-
gineers as they are, have not been
able to discover practical means of
accomplishing their purpose. Now,
when it is too late, the French inves-
tors will realize that the unfavorable
reports from the United States which
have followed the work from its very
inception have not been animated by
ungenerous motives. At the Inter-
national Canal Congress, which met
in Paris, May Is, 1879, Admiral Am
men and Captain Selfridge, of our
navy, and the accredited representa-
tives of the United States, declared
that the route by way of Panama was
impracticable. Both these officers
are identified with series of careful
surveys made across various parts of
the isthmus, including Panama, and
their opinion was supported by that
of many other engineers who proceed.
ed them on the isthmus. But the
French were inexorable. Lieut.. Lu-
Glen N. B. Wyse, of the French re.
publican navy, had made reconnais-
sance across the isthmus. and the
French engineers led by De Lesseps,
who. it may be said without prejudice
to his fame, has won more victories
in the line of diplomacy than in that
of engineering, showed hasty will
ingness to accept .Wyse's conclusions,
though they were opposed by the ex
perience of older and more experience
ed men than be.
Bad management was apparent at
the very start of the enterprise, and
if the two officers of the company
who recently came hither from Pana.
ma on their way homeward are to be
believed, this bad management has
continued up to the present. Large
quantities of material, as unnecessary
as it was costly, have been constant.
ly sent out, only to rot or rust in the
swamps or on the sides of the hill
AS many as fourteen locomotives,
too heavy for use on the temporary
lines constructed along the soft dump
mounds, are at the present time rust
ing and corroding in the various Sec
tions, and apparatus and tools in vast
quantities, whose design or weight
precludes its use, is strewn along
the highways or remains unpacked
upon the shores of the port.
Reports say that both the French
and United States Governments will
be asked in turn to take up and carry
out the project of a canal at Panama,
but it is not likely that either will do
so. No doubt strenuous efforts will be
made to reorganize the present com.
pany, if these negotiations fail, and to
secure more capital. There is little
probability, however, that much more
money will be expended on this un-
scheme, where already
several thousand human lives have
been sacrificed and over $275, 200, 900
and all for nothing